Nintendo Switch Sports Tennis Tips

Nintendo Switch Sports tennis has players swinging around their Joy-Con controllers just like it’s the good old days and they’re swatting the air with a Wii Controller while playing Wii Sports. The returning classic is undoubtedly a fan favorite among Nintendo Switch Sports players. For players looking to gain an edge in this popular two-versus-two sport, here are five tips for how to excel in Nintendo Switch Sports tennis.

Fancy some tips for other games in Switch Sports? Check out these guides:

• Nintendo Switch Sports soccer tips
• Nintendo Switch Sports volleyball tips
• Nintendo Switch Sports chambara tips
• Nintendo Switch Sports badminton tips
• Nintendo Switch Sports bowling tips

Nintendo Switch Sports Tennis Tips: Speed And Direction Of Shots

This game’s motion controls give players a good deal of control in determining how and where they hit the ball in Nintendo Switch Sports tennis. The speed of players’ shots naturally corresponds to the speed of their Joy-Con swings. Swinging the Joy-Con more quickly will cause the player’s Sportsmate to hit the ball more quickly, while swinging the Joy-Con more slowly will result in a slower shot in-game.

Conversely, the direction of a shot does not necessarily correspond to the direction the player swings their Joy-Con. Rather, the direction of a shot is determined by the timing of a player’s swing. Swinging early will cause the player to hit the ball straight ahead, whereas swinging a little bit late will cause a more diagonal shot. 

Even without incorporating more complex shot types, players can mix up their opponents by changing up the speed and direction of their hits. To do so merely requires that players adjust the speed and timing of their own swings. Players can practice these basic shots while racking up points toward Nintendo Switch Sports unlockables in the game’s offline Trial Mode.

Nintendo Switch Sports Tennis Tips: How To Do A Rocket Serve

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The quickest way to earn points in Nintendo Switch Sports tennis is by scoring lots of aces, or serves that the opponent fails to return. Rocket serves are the most powerful type of serve available and will be difficult for opponents to hit back in time.

To perform a rocket serve, the player must throw their ball into the air and then wait to swing back down until the ball is at its maximum height. If performed correctly, the Sportsmate will launch the ball at a high speed with a red streak behind it. Mastering this technique is a great way to find success in the Nintendo Switch Sports Pro League for tennis.

Nintendo Switch Sports Tennis Tips: Topspins, Backspins, And Lobs

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Along with mixing up the speed and direction of basic shots, Nintendo Switch Sports tennis players can further enhance their gameplay by incorporating three types of special shots: topspins, backspins, and lobs.

To perform a topspin, the player must twist their wrist toward their body as they swing. This causes the ball to gain additional speed after it bounces on the other side of the court, which could cause the ball to accelerate right past an unsuspecting opponent.

On the flip side, the player can perform a backspin by twisting their wrist away from their body as they perform a backhand swing. Not only will the ball bounce low after a backspin, but it can also bounce in a different direction after it lands. This can make it difficult for the opponent to return if they let it touch the ground before they hit it.

Finally, players can perform a lob by starting their swing low and moving their hand up toward their face. This kind of shot sends the ball high in the air, ideally over the opponent’s head so they cannot smash the ball right back to your side of the court.

Nintendo Switch Sports Tennis Tips: Stamina And Wobbly Shots

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Sportsmates in Nintendo Switch Sports tennis move about on their own, meaning players only have to control their characters’ swings. However, Sportsmates have a finite amount of stamina that they will exhaust if they are constantly running around trying to return shots.

Players should try hitting the ball toward the edges of the court in order to force their opponent to move more and drain their stamina. If a character has low stamina, their hits will be slow, blue-streaked wobbly shots that can be easily be returned with a quick smash toward the opposite edge.

Of course, players can also keep in mind that their opponents may try to use the same strategy against them. As a result, if your stamina is low and you hit a wobbly shot, you should be prepared to try to counter an incoming smash from your opponent.

Nintendo Switch Sports Tennis Tips: Court Differences

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There are three different kinds of courts in Nintendo Switch Sports tennis: hard, grass, and clay. Players cannot pick which court they would like to play on in online play, as the type of court is chosen at random at the beginning of the match. As a result, players will be most successful if they learn how to play well on each type of court.

The most basic kind of tennis arena is the pink hard court. On hard courts, balls bounce high and do not slow down after bouncing. As a result, players may want to incorporate backspins into their gameplay on hard courts in order to limit the height balls reach after bouncing on the opponent’s side of the court.

On green grass courts, balls bounce lower after hitting the ground, even though they maintain their speed. Since the ball will already bounce low on the opponent’s side of a grass court, players can use topspins to make sure the ball accelerates after bouncing, giving the opponent little time to react to a quick-moving ball that has already bounced low to the ground.

Finally, brown clay courts cause the ball to slow down after bouncing. Since rallies typically last longer on clay courts due to the ease of returning a slow-moving ball, players may find themselves at risk of running out of stamina. To avoid this, it can be helpful to use lob shots, since they are even slower to reach the opponent’s side of the court and can give the player more time to rejuvenate their Sportsmate’s stamina.